Offset spoke hole rims

[rych]

There's a lot of rims around with pretty wide offset spoke holes, a lot of eclat rims for example. Is there any advantage to it? Seems it would reduce bracing angle, the opposite of crosslacing, and so reduce lateral stiffness and have more of a tendency to come out of true. Experiences/opinions?

[LeonLikesToRock]

All of the rims I've tried with wider space spoke holes tend to be heavier than the narrow or cross laced rims I've tried so it is pretty tough to compare the performance difference of the lacing alone. On paper there are advantages of each style but I'm not sure there is much difference (from the spoke position only) in practice for a 20" wheel. As far as a light and strong wheel goes, I like the cross laced rims like g-sport.

[rych]

Hey, thanks for the response. What are the theoretical advantages of wider spread spoke holes? I think I understand the advantages of crosslacing but can't find much about the advantages of it's opposite.

[weedbix]

The only real advantage is shorter spoke length, which makes for a marginally stiffer wheel and a negligibly lighter one, neither of which I think is worth it (even though I do like rear wheels that are 48h 3x which is noticeably stiffer than 48h 4x and 36h 3x)

[rych]

The only real advantage is shorter spoke length, which makes for a marginally stiffer wheel and a negligibly lighter one, neither of which I think is worth it (even though I do like rear wheels that are 48h 3x which is noticeably stiffer than 48h 4x and 36h 3x)

I think you're referring to the number of spoke crosses in the lacing pattern, eg 2x, 3x, 4x? I'm referring to where the spoke holes are relative to the rim's centreline rather than the number of spoke crosses. Rims like federal stance XL, eclat Bondi, and plenty of others have the spoke holes significantly off centre towards the side of the hub the spoke will be on. The opposite of cross lace rims like GSport.

[weedbix]

No I am aware of what you;re on about, it just indeed does make for a shorter spoke (the opposite of cross lacing) which is the only 'advantage' (or disadvantage depending on preference) I can fathom

[rych]

No I am aware of what you;re on about, it just indeed does make for a shorter spoke (the opposite of cross lacing) which is the only 'advantage' (or disadvantage depending on preference) I can fathom

Okay, wasn't sure, makes sense. I can't see any advantage really, but I'm not an engineer. Difference in spoke length would have to be tiny.

[weedbix]

Indeed, much less than doing one less cross